1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to child and baby strollers. More specifically, the present invention is a baby stroller in the shape of a stork having a baby carrier in the beak and a seat for a toddler on the back of the stork. In other embodiments the baby carrier and child seat can be used as car seats for the infant and the toddler either joined together or separated. Another embodiment adds a false bottom in the carrier for a bassinet.
2. Description of Prior Art
The related art of interest describes various baby carriers, but none discloses the present invention. There is a need for a bird-like stroller apparatus, which accommodates a child and an infant, and provides separation of various parts. Swan carriages and multi-purpose baby carriers are known in the patent literature, as exemplified by the following patents, but none discloses the safe carrying of a child and an infant on one stroller with the advantages of either (1) placing an upper half of the stroller in a car as the child's car seat, and disengaging the infant carrier to place the carrier in the car as a second car seat, or (2) removing the child's seat from the upper half and removing the infant carrier to place both in the vehicle as safety seats, and (3) storing the remaining parts of the infant stroller in the rear storage area of the vehicle. An additional embodiment converts the stroller to a bassinet with a false bottom.
U.S. Reissue Pat. No. 6,657 issued on Sep. 28, 1875, to A. W. Daby describes a children's carriage having a shape of a swan with a canopy and rear handle supported by sills resting on a pair of ornate springs attached to the axles. The carriage is distinguishable for its requirement for spring action.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,539,236 issued on Jan. 23, 1952, to Evelyn Dore describes a bird-shaped baby carriage with two folding seats, which face each other in the body cavity. The carriage has a bird head with a hollow neck for storing items, large wings, a rear handle decorated with small birds, and angularly bent legs resting on the chassis frame supported by four wheels. The carriage is distinguishable for its required folding opposed seats.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,833 issued on Jul. 6, 1976, to Henry Fleischer describes a portable baby holding device which may take the form of a combination baby carriage, stroller, infant seat, car seat, car bed, bassinet, and high chair. The device has a canopy completely covering the baby and a collapsible frame comprising a horizontal primary tubular support having hook-like members angling upward and rearward, i.e., push handle, and supported by an upper cross member and extendible cross members supporting the rear wheels. Front caster wheels support the front portion of the primary tubular support. The device is distinguishable for its required horizontal primary tubular support.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,196 issued on Jul. 7, 1987, to Kip Van Steenberg describes a child car seat superstructure apparatus convertible into a stroller comprising a super-structure shell having a pair of longitudinally extending arms, a U-frame rear pusher bar rotatable forward by a rack type positioner, a base frame with four wheels supporting the removable seat and adjustable chair back. The apparatus is distinguishable for requiring a superstructure to accommodate only a single infant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,281 issued on May 9, 1989, to David K. Sanchas describes a convertible car seat to a stroller apparatus comprising a latched together two-piece hollow seat structure having a seat belt on the upper portion across the wings, and openings in the lower portion for the vehicle's seat belt. For forming the stroller, the lower portion is removed to lower the folded perimeter framework supporting four wheels via an inner and outer scissors link. An enclosed U-shaped handle is pivoted upward in the rear. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to accommodate one infant and requiring a perimeter frame for the wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,680 issued on Nov. 9, 1989, to Terrence O. Molnar describes a convertible car seat and stroller combination apparatus comprising a padded child's seat having a telescopic U-shaped handle extending upward from behind the back of the seat, and a perimeter frame having four wheels extendible downward. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to one occupant and requiring a perimeter frame for the wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,894 issued on Jan. 30, 1990, to David L. Singletary describes a stroller car seat apparatus comprising a conventional infant seat having a safety harness, a U-shaped padded front guard bar, a U-shaped telescoping handle in the rear, a pivoting front footrest, and a folding rectangular scissors framework with four wheels. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to one child and requiring an obtrusive lower framework.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,134 issued on Apr. 14, 1992, to Richard E. Cone describes a convertible child's combination car seat and stroller apparatus comprising a molded plastic shell with lower door panels for including a four-wheel assembly on front and rear pivoting legs. The two front wheels can rotate, but the rear wheels are doubled. A telescopic handle is mounted in the shell. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to one child and can only be placed on a vehicle seat backwards.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,311 issued on Jun. 7, 1994, to Julio A. Bofill describes a combination child vehicle seat and stroller apparatus comprising a hollow chair shaped shell having two telescopic handles with bent handle grips on top of the seatback, two side portions having notches to position the vehicle's seatbelt, and retractable wheel assemblies which form a smooth bottom surface of the apparatus. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to a child and requiring retractable wheel assemblies and a pair of telescopic handles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,221 issued on Nov. 1, 1994, to Yoon S. Chai describes a baby carriage convertible to a safety car seat with a harness comprising a body assembly including a seat, a back, a footrest, and side plates. A wheel assembly is pivotally mounted on the body assembly and adapted to be folded back. A handle assembly is pivotally mounted on the body assembly and adapted to be rotated into a horizontal position. A locking assembly locks and releases the wheel assembly. When the carriage is converted into a safety seat, the wheel assembly is released and folded back, and the handle assembly is rotated into a horizontal position to be used as an arm rest plate. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to one baby, and requiring the rotation of the handle assembly to serve as an arm rest.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,951 issued on Mar. 21, 1995, to Choon W. Ryu describes a convertible child car seat and stroller apparatus comprising a molded plastic safety seat with a forwardly rotatable U-shaped handle, and a collapsible wheel assembly positioned outside the safety seat. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to one child and having an exposed folded wheel assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,096 issued on Dec. 26, 1995, to Chien Ting describes a collapsible multi-use baby carriage having a structure transformable into a dining chair, a safety seat in a car, a cradle, and a bed comprising a seat, a backrest pivotally connected with the seat to change the angle of the backrest, a U-shaped hand rest pivotally connected with the backrest. The structure has a pushing handle, two opposite telescopic side tubes with a windable support plate between the side tubes, and windable on a winding tubular shaft housed in a front tube of the hand rest for pulling out for supporting food. Two front and rear casters are pivotally connected with the bottom of the seat and foldable to the seat bottom. The carriage is distinguishable for being limited to one infant, and requiring a windable support plate and two opposite side tubes. U.K. Patent Application No. GB 2 211 08 2A published on Jun. 28, 1989, describes an interchangeable infant's seat used as either a car seat or a pram seat comprising a rigid right-angled lightweight chassis left in the car and a pram chassis which accommodates the interchangeable right-angled seat by the car seat belt and clips in the car and by clips in the pram. The device is distinguishable for being limited to one infant and requiring separate car seat and pram supports.
U.K. Patent Application No. GB 2 254 587 A published on Oct. 14, 1992, describes a child seat convertible into a pushchair comprising a seat in a supporting frame adapted to be mounted in a vehicle and on a wheeled frame having releasably mounting parts on each side of the seat and the frame. The carrier is distinguishable for being limited to one infant.
U.K. Patent Application No. GB 2 262 914 A published on Jul. 7, 1993, describes a molded child seat for a vehicle and convertible into a pushchair comprising a supporting frame having two triangular lateral sub-frames interconnected by cross rails. Each sub-frame is equipped with a pair of mounting pins adapted to engage with appropriately shaped and positioned slots on the wheeled pushchair frame. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to one infant and requiring a supporting frame.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.